May 2011 sees the 70th birthday of one of our greatest living songwriters, Bob Dylan. To celebrate, we're going to take you on a journey through the slightly lesser celebrated avenues of his back catalogue. A journey down Highway 61 that won't stop off at 'Blowin' In The Wind', 'All Along The Watchtower' or 'Knockin' On Heaven's Door' but will drop in on...'Things Have Changed' (2000)
This one's a firm Essex Boy Review favourite, not least because at the time it was Bob's most credible shot at a hit single in over two decades. A stand alone non-album track with a light hearted video to help it along; it wasn't a hit of course but that's so far from relevant it's funny and after all, Bob's telling us he doesn't care anymore anyway!
The Dylan career-arc self reference jumping out of the text hadn't been heard like this since the early days of signing off from the protest movement with 'My Back Pages'. Here over 35 years of life has left the former compassionate troubadour, whose voice oozed optimism as a young man announcing 'The Times They Are-A Changin'', shrugging at the chaos around him, admitting that he doesn't really care much anymore even though that change had occured. In a song of detachment, there's a taste of defeat amidst an enduring sense of longing and mischief; why else would he think of falling in love with the first woman he meets then wheeling her down the street in a wheelbarrow?
No comments:
Post a Comment